Royal College of Art

As part of the 2012 London Design Festival, the College is hosting the exhibition Design for the Real World, which takes its inspiration from the 40th anniversary of the English-language publication of Victor Papanek’s seminal text, Design for the Real World. In 1972, at a time of rampant consumerism, Papanek made a powerful case for the importance of inclusive and sustainable design in meeting the real needs of people. This exhibition explores both aspects of Papanek’s legacy. A presentation of 15 projects by Research Associates from the RCA’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design (HHCD) will showcase inclusive and human-centred design. This year’s projects include a community lighting project in Tower Hamlets; making roadworks safer for people with sight loss; reducing incidents of violence in A&E hospital departments; a redesign of the doctor’s bag and practical solutions for making offices more sustainable. SustainRCA, the cross-College centre for sustainability, will present a selection of sustainable design concepts by recent RCA graduates including new ideas for fashion, textiles, home products and transport.